The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 321 patent medicine stores in Bayelsa State for failing to comply with regulatory standards.

The council also said 13 premises were given compliance directives for various offences ranging from improper handling of controlled substances, unhygienic environment and poor documentation.

Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, PCN’s Director, Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs. Antonia Aruya, said some of the stores, which got compliance directive was found to be dispensing ethical and prescription drugs without the presence of a pharmacist.

She said the monitoring team visited 427 premises comprising 71 pharmacies and 356 Patent and Proprietary Medical Vendors (PPMVs) out of which 321 premises were sealed.

Out of the sealed number, Aruya said 36 were pharmacies while 285 were PPMVs adding that the move was aimed at streamlining the distribution system in Bayelsa in the first phase.

Aruya said after inspection, the team discovered that many people opened drug stores in the state without following due process.

She said: “At the end of the exercise a total of 427 premises comprising 71 pharmacies, 356 Patent and Propriety Medicines Vendors stores (PPMVs) were visited, 321 premises were sealed, comprising of 36 pharmacies, 285 PPMVs.

“13 premises, comprising of seven PPMVs and six pharmacies were given compliance directives for various of offences ranging from improper handling of controlled substances, unhygienic environment and poor documentation, dispensing ethical/prescription drugs without the presence of a Pharmacist.

Iruya lamented that many people got into medicine business without having the requisite knowledge to handle all categories of medicine.

She said that the PPMVs were by law restricted to handle over the counter drugs (OTC) with proven safety margin.

She called on the general public to always demand the registration statuses of medical facilities to safeguard themselves from patronizing quacks.

She said: “This is the first phase of streamlining the distribution system in Bayelsa state. Further actions will follow in due course since the PCN is committed to full compliance with the National Drug Distribution System.

“The general public is advised to source its drug need from registered pharmacy outlets and over the counter drugs from registered PPMV shops as drugs sold in unregistered outlets cannot be guaranteed to be genuine”.

She equally noted that it is required by law for all pharmaceutical facilities to register with the PCN and to ensure continuous licensure to legally key into the drug distribution value chain.

•Sourced from The Nation report

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